It was business as usual at Doomben for trainer Liam Birchley who had a year’s disqualification from the Aquanita case lifted on Friday. Birchley was disqualified as part of a series in inquiries two years ago by Victorian stewards into the alleged use of “top-ups” on horses over a seven-year… Read More »
Next stop on the path towards a Melbourne Cup start for Alfarris will be The Bart Cummings after the gelding scored a fighting win at Flemington. Alfarris held out stablemate Ventura Storm by a nose to win the Very Special Kids Pin & Win Plate on Saturday. Senior Lindsay Park… Read More »
Part owner Bill Andrews had one of the top chances in a Group One race on Saturday but he stayed in Brisbane to see another of his favourite horses Sky Lake win at Doomben. Sky Lake ($8) made a late dive on the line to beat Time To Play ($11)… Read More »
Andrew Adkins has celebrated his first win since returning from an injury-enforced layoff and significantly it has come aboard the Colt Prosser-trained Haames in the Highway Handicap. Adkins was badly injured when he fell from War Baron in the Fernhill Handicap in April and spent several months recovering, only returning… Read More »
Jockey Tegan Harrison pondered the ups and downs of racing after she picked up the late winning ride on Highway at Doomben on Saturday. Harrison was booked to ride Boncosta in the Spicer’s Retreat Handicap (1600m) but gelding was scratched on race morning. She picked up the ride when Ryan… Read More »
Trainer Chris Waller’s patience with imported galloper Lord Gododdin looks set to pay dividends after the gelding won his first race in Australia at Doomben. Lord Gododdin did his early racing in England where he won three times before being bought to come to Australia as a possible open company… Read More »
Last year’s Melbourne Cup minor placegetter Prince Of Arran could still have work to do to make the field for this year’s $8 million race at Flemington. Prince Of Arran formed part of an English-trained trifecta in the 2018 Melbourne Cup when he finished third behind Cross Counter and Marmelo…. Read More »
With the retirement of champion Winx, racegoers are looking for the next pin-up horse. After seven wins in succession for a record of 11 from 14 starts, there are some anointing Mystic Journey the next Winx. Ahead of Saturday’s Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, trainer Adam Trinder… Read More »
Stradivarius has shown why he is regarded as the world’s best stayer by dominating the Group Two Doncaster Cup to claim his 10th successive victory. Trained by John Gosden, the five-year-old has ruled the staying division over the past couple of seasons with back-to-back wins in the Yorkshire Cup, Gold… Read More »
Queensland trainer Liam Birchley has been cleared over the “Aquanita eight” doping case, but three other trainers including Robert Smerdon have lost their appeals against their disqualifications. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Friday found Smerdon, Tony Vasil and Stuart Webb guilty but on a reduced number of charges…. Read More »
Lachlan King has been rewarded for his success on the Grahame Begg-trained Romancer, with the apprentice retaining the ride in a stakes race at Flemington. King, son of retired champion jockey Steven King, has ridden in stakes races before including this year’s Group One Doncaster Mile but is looking for… Read More »
Group One-winning Irish jockey Martin Harley has made an immediate impact at the first meeting of his Australian stint, riding a winning double at Swan Hill in country Victoria. Harley had four rides at Friday’s meeting, all for the Lindsay Park stable, and ended the program with winners in the… Read More »
July Cup winner Ten Sovereigns heads 14 overseas-trained entries for the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill. The 1500m-race is for southern hemisphere four-year-olds at Rosehill on November 2. The race is also open to northern hemisphere three-year-olds with the 14 headed by three of the top 10 from… Read More »
South Australia’s premier jockey Raquel Clark has earned the opportunity to notch her first Melbourne win at her first ride at Flemington when she continues her association with exciting colt Dalasan. Dalasan is favourite for next month’s $2 million Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and puts those credentials to the… Read More »
Tommy Berry has partnered some of Sydney’s best emerging horses this spring, a trend set to continue at Rosehill where he again has a book of rides top-heavy with talent. Having won the first two legs of the Princess series aboard boom filly Libertini, the San Domenico Stakes on Exceedance… Read More »
New Zealand Group One winner Volpe Veloce has been given every chance to settle into Sydney before her Rosehill debut in the Group Two Theo Marks Stakes. Her trainer Graham Richardson is under no illusions about the class of the field she faces on Saturday but is happy with the… Read More »
It would be apt if handy mare Barefoot can give the new Tony and Maddy Sears training partnership its first metropolitan winner. Leading Toowoomba trainer Tony Sears has joined with his daughter Maddy to form Queensland’s latest training partnership. “It has taken a bit longer than I hoped to get… Read More »
Lightly raced mare Demerara gets an opportunity to enhance a near faultless fresh record when she chases her biggest win in the Group Two Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington. Saturday’s 1200m straight-track sprint will be the Godolphin-owned, James Cummings-trained mare’s first start since winning the Listed Silk Stocking on a… Read More »
Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig has noticed a change in Spanish Whisper and hopes it is a good sign going ahead. Now in her third preparation for Lindsay Park, Spanish Whisper showed a sign of maturity before her most recent start Caulfield that was missing from her previous campaigns. With… Read More »
There is no substitute for race fitness and that is trainer Chris Waller’s only reservation ahead of the return of promising colt Yes Yes Yes in the Group Two Run To The Rose. Two of his main rivals at Rosehill on Saturday, race favourite Exceedance and second-elect Bivouac, both have… Read More »
